AFTER 19 months at Stamford Bridge it is put up or shut up time for Fernando Torres.

And it is not just the rest of football the Spaniard needs to start convincing.

Another desperate display by Torres in the 2-1 defeat in Donetsk on Tuesday, part of a pattern of under-achievement that has dogged him since his British record move from Liverpool in January last year, saw Blues supporters venting their spleen on online fan sites.

Statistically, Torres has been a worse performer at Stamford Bridge than ANY of the four strikers at Sir Alex Ferguson’s disposal at title rivals Man United.

And that even includes Danny Welbeck – who spent half a season at Sunderland and has made a third of his United appearances off the bench.

And even as Roberto Di Matteo attempted to defend the £50million flop last night, the Blues boss did not exactly speak with the conviction of a man who expects the critics to be proved wrong.

Di Matteo said: “Maybe it wasn’t his best game in Donetsk. I don’t think it was a question of him being happy or not being happy. He was in a good state of mind. He is training well.

“We are talking too much about the past. He had a difficult season, he’s made that point. But we need to move forward. I have no concerns about Fernando. He always works hard for the team and contributes.

“You can’t just rely on one player to score – or expect him to be scoring every game.”

The facts, though, are stark. Just 17 goals in 80 games for a player signed to be the cutting edge of Carlo Ancelotti’s team, a player overlooked for the matches that mattered last term in favour of the now-departed Didier Drogba.

Of course, then Di Matteo had an alternative in the shape of Drogba.

Now, with Daniel Sturridge seemingly out of favour, he doesn’t.

And while the Italian insisted he is prepared to drop Roman Abramovich’s most glaring vanity purchase, Torres will play in the big games – until the end of the year at least. Di Matteo added: “Of course I have conversations with my players all the time. But what we talked about is not going to be discussed publicly.

“This season is going to be different. He started well, he’s playing well and looking good. He has scored four in the league and is making goals as well.

“He’s shown all the signs. But you are right that strikers are instinctive. It is difficult to understand what goes on in their minds when they are in position.

“I’ve never been a striker so I wouldn’t be able to know that. They have that instinct.”

Di Matteo needs Torres to rediscover those hidden instincts tomorrow, especially with one of Chelsea’s most prolific goal sources, Frank Lampard, out for at least three weeks with his latest calf injury.

But the Italian maintains he will stick with the adventurous approach that came unstuck in Donetsk.

He said: “We wanted, as a club, to change a bit. We believe playing this way with the players we have is the best solution for us, the best chance of winning games.”